Submarine rescue apparatus



Dec. 24, 1929. 1 P, AYER SUBMARINE RESCUE APPARATUS Filed March 2, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet w l l Dec. 24, 1929. J. P. AYER l 1,7405532 SUBMARINE RESCUE APPARATUS Filed Maron 2, 192e s sheet-s-sheet 2 Dec. 24, 1929. J. P. AYER 1,740,532

A SUBMARINE RESCUE APPARATUS Filed March 2, 1928 5-Sheets-Sheet 3 l JOHN AYER y m@ vV/JMJML-w Patented Dec. 24, 1929 UNITED STATES JOHN i?. AYER, or PORTLAND, Maine SUBMARINE RESCUE APPARATUS Application led March 2,

My invention relates to submarine rescue apparatus adapted for employment as a means for effecting the rescue of crews from disabled submarines.

Heretofore in rescue operations wherein the release of crews entrapped in sunken submarines is sought to be effected, weather conditions have been a material factor in the success or failure of the operations. liith the known methods heretofore in use it has been practically impossible to carry on rescue work when any considerable surface disturbance,

such as heavy waves, is encountered by the rescue fleet. Rough weather renders diving i5 operations practically impossible and in the history of submarine accidents it has been clearly established that many lives have been lost due to the delay of rescue work necessitated by adverse weather conditions. The 2Q present invention aims to eliminate this serious menace of adverse weather conditions, and provides a means whereby rescue work may be carried out with dispatch regardless of weather conditions encountered by rescue vessels.

In accordance with this invention, the rescue of entrapped crews is acomplished through the agency of a rescue submarine submerged in proximity to the disabled vessel and operated in conjunction with a rescue vessel at the surface. Means are provided for transferring members of the crew from the disabled submarine to the rescue submarine below the surface of the water.

Objects of the invention are: to provide an improved and novel rescue apparatus for submarines including means for transferring crews from disabled vessels to submerged rescue vessels beneath the surface of the water; to provide in an apparatus of this character a novel escape means for permitting the evacuation of the crew from the interior or' a sunken submarine; to provide a novel hull connection for enabling the exterior attachment of the rescue apparatus; and generally to provide a novel structural means for carrying out the above noted objects.

This specification and the accompanying drawing describe and illustrate a practical, physical embodiment of the best means that 1928. Serial No. 258,511,

1 have thus far devised for carrying out the principles of the invention. In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating the operative assembly of the rescue apparatus in connection with a disabled submarine and a rescue submarine.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a yertical section through certain units of the assembly as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4t is a section throufrh the novel escape hatch and cooperative siibmarine hull construction.

Figure 5 is an elevation partly in section of an escape element embodying a modified form which the invent-ion may take.

1t is to be understood that submarines will be constructed with a plurality of appropriately located escape hatches identical in structural detail with the arrangement as shown in Figure 4, in which the hull 10 of the submarine is provided with an escape manhole having a bore sufficiently large to permit the passage of a man therethrough, which is closed on the external face of the hull by means of a hinged closure 11 having a water tight engagement over an outturned annular neck 12 surrounding the manhole and u formed integral with an external plate 13 riveted to the hull and carrying lugl means 14e to which the cover 11 is hinged by the removable pintle 15.

The cover 11 is provided with a bore extending therethrough in correspondence with the bore of the escape manhole but of smaller dimension and closed from the exterior' by means of a removable cover plate 16 detachably secured to the body 0f the cover 11 by a lurality of externally operable attached bolts 17. The assembled cover 11 is maintained in water tight engagement against a packing carried in a seat formed therein and cooperating against the neck 12, by means of a pivotal anchor bolt 18 pivotally connected to the inner face of the cover 11 in such manner that the stem thereof is adapted to enter between spaced ears 19 formed integral with the neck 12 and extending radially inward therefrom. A wing nut 2O threaded over the stem of the bolt 18 provides a means whereby, as the nut is tightened against the lugs 19, the anchor bolt is drawn inwardly to s-eat the cover irmly in place, the wing nut 2O being operated from the interior of the submarine hull. It will be apparent that divers operating externally ot' the submarine hull may remove the cover plate 16 and obtain access to the nut 2G for electing release of the cover 11 whereupon the same may be swung upon its hinge 15 and subsequently be bodily detached from its connection with the hull to permit the attachment of rescue elements to be described. 'i

@n the inner tace of the submarine hull is riveted a plate 21 similar to the plate 13 on the exterior and arranged substantially in alignment therewith so that the entire y sembly may be secured in position by common rivet means 22. This inner plate 21 surrounds the manhole aperture and is formed with an internal neck 23 having a seating engagement in an annular recess formed in the body or" an emergency internal hatch cover 24 adapted to be applied over the neck 23 to close the manhole from the interior of the submarine and being` secured in position by pivoted anchor bolts 25 carrying wing nuts 2G and cooperating with recesses 27 formed in the body,7 otl the cover tor the reception thereof. The hatch 24 is provided with an internally opening top valve 28, for a purpose to be described. ln the ordinary running condition of a submarine the emergency interior hatch cover 24 may be dismounted and applied only upon the hap` pening of a collision or occurrence ot an accident which disables a submarine and renders the same incapable ot rising from the bottom` The external attachment escape elements of the apparatus comprise a pipe casting 29 which is adapted to be secured in water tight engagement over the external neel; 12 on the submarine hull after removal of the external hatch cover 11. The pipe 29 is provided adliacent its end in proximity to the submarine hull with one or more automatic check valves 30 communicating through bores 31 with the interior of the pipe which are operative to permit the expulsion of water from the interior of the pipe, subsequently closing to prevent entry ot' water thereinto. The pipe is maintained in position through suitable hull connection means comprising in this insta-nce a plurality of turnbuckles 32 having permanent connection at one end with ring bolts 33 carried by the pipe and detachable hooi; means 34 at th-e opposite end for connection with links 35 carried by ring bolts 36 as a permanent structural unit of the hull 10.

The outer end of the pipe 29 has secured thereover by an attaching collar 37 an enlarged elbow casting 38, one end of which is in communication with the passage through the pipe and the other end 40 being arranged to receive, in a water tight connection, one end of a flexible water tight conduit 41 of a size sutlicient to permit the passage of a man therethrough and which is similarly connected at its opposite end with a second elbow identical in detail with the elbow 38 and which, as illustrated in Figure 1, is designated by the same reference numeral. The second elbow 38 has secured thereto a pipe casting 29 which is identical in detail and manner of attachment to the hull, with the casting 29 before described.v In each of the elbows 38 the attaching `collar 37 is connect ed with pipe 29 by a swivel, water ti ght'joint constructed by means of an annular metal ring element 42 threaded and screwed onto and fixed integral with the outer end Yof pipe 29 and cooperating therewith to :torni a seat for plate valve of the rising stem type, having a stem 44 threaded for longitudinal movement through a wall 45 orn the elbow under manipulation of the operating wheel 46 whereby the valve 43 may be closed against the seat 42 to seal the end of the casting 29. The swivel joint facilitates alignment ot elbow 38 with conduit 41 in making connection therewith. rlhe va ve 43 closes axially of the pipe 29, as will be apparent from Figure 3.

The elbow 33 is -further provided with a manually controlled valve 47 which may be externally operated to establish a communication between the interior of the elbow and the exterior thereof permitting entry of water into the elbow and conduit 41 after the valve 43 has been closed against its seat at 42, for the purpose of equalizing pressure in order to disconnect the conduit 41 from the elbow 33 on the disabled submarine after rescue of crue is eiliected. Each end of the conduit 41 has a water tight engagement with the adjacent end 40 ot the elbow 38 and is se-V cured in position by means of turnbuckles 48 having a permanent connection at one end with ring bolts 49 carried by the elbow and a detachable hoolr connection 50 at the opposite end for engagement with links 51 per manently connected to lugs 52 carried bythe conduit.

In the operation of the apparatus in carrying out rescue work, after a submarine has become disabled, divers operating from a surface rescue vessel 53 locate the sunken sub marine and communicate the necessary inormationto a second submarinel designated as the rescue submarine 54 which then submerges and takes position alongside of or in close proximity to the disabled submarine as shown in Figurev 1,'wherein-the disabled Vsubmarine is designated as at 55.

v-An air line 56 extending from the surface vessel 53 is placed in communication with the interior ot' the disabled submarine through the employment of the air connection means comprising the subject matter of my co-pending application Serial Number 249,669, filed January 26, 1928. The crew of the disabled submarine operating from the interior places the emergency interior hatch cover 24 in position over the inner neck 23 of the desired manhole through which evacuation of the crew is to take place. rIhe second elbow 38 and pipe 29 is then lowered from the rescue ship on the surface to the deck of the disabled submarine and divers operating externally remove the external hatch cover 11 and place in position over the manhole of the disabled submarine, the pipe assembly 29 and 38 preparatory to receive the conduit from the rescue submarine. It is, of course, understood that the pipe castings 29, elbows 38, and conduit 41 are equipment carried by the surface rescue vessel 53.

The rescue ship will also carry as equipment Va portable crane with underslung bridge, which will be transferred and attached to the deck of the rescue submarine with the conduit suspended therefrom and one end of the conduit 41 will then be attached to thehatch, through which the rescued crew is to be received, by means of elbow 38 and pipe 29, before submerging, thereby minimizing work under water.

After submerging, the crane is operated by divers to swing the conduit into position on the deck of the disabled submarine for attaching to the second assembly 38 and 29 which has already been attached by divers to the rescue hatch of the disabled submarine. The swivel joint at 42 permits this operation.

The end of the conduit 41 is then connected by means of the turnbuclles to end 4() of elbow 38 on the disabled submarine establishing a continuous water tight, closed passageway between the two submarines.

The underslung bridge carried by the crane enables the divers to pass readily from the deck of one submarine to the other. Midway of the conduit 41 an air line 57 is attached thereto extending from the surface vessel 53 and when all of the elements have been assembled in the operative position as shown in Figure 1, with the valves 43 in fully opened position, as shown in Figure 3, air under pressure is applied through the line 57 to expel the water through check valves 30 arranged iu the pipe castings 29. W'heu the water has reached the level of the valves 30, the tap valves 28 on the internal hatch covers are opened to drain the remaining'watcr into the interior of each submarine. The amount of water will be comparatively small and of no consequence.

Then this clearing operation has been completed, air at atmospheric pressure is then maintained in the pipes 29, elbows 38 and communicating conduit 41 whereupon the inner hatch covers 24 are removed and a crewv of the disabled submarine 55 may be evacuated therefrom, by passing out through the pipe 29 into the elbow 38 and through the communicating conduit 41 down into the rescue submarine 54. Suitable means may be provided in the conduit, such as ropes or other guiding means, to facilitate passage. When the evacuation of the crew has been completed, the inner hatch cover 24 is replaced in water tight position on the rescue submarine; then divers operating externally of the submarines manipulate the operating wheels 46 to seat and to close the valves 43. Following this the valves 47 are opened to permit water to enter the elbows 38 and fill the conduit 41, after which the conduit is detached from the elbow 38 on the disabled submarine and by means of the crane swung on to the deck of the rescue submarine. rlhe rescue submarine may then emerge bringing the crew of the disabled submarine to the surface. In the case of the disabled submarine 55, the casting 29 and elbow 38 are allowed to remain in position so that salvage operations may be carried out, the valve 43 effectively preventing the ingress of water into the interior of the submarine.

In cases where a submarine has become disabled in comparatively shallow water, the use of the rescue submarine may be dispensed with and in such event a pipe casting 38', as shown in Figure 5, is employed in place of the casting 38 and is connected to casting 29 and lowered to the disabled submarine and attached to rescue hatch as before described. In this modification the escape conduit 41 is employed of sufiicient length to extend from its attachment with the pipe 38 to the surface, and the crew may be evacuated by means of lifting ropes lowered through the conduit.

Nhile in this embodiment of the invention I have illustrated and described certain details entering into the construction and cperation thereof, I desire it to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereby, but that any desired changes and modifications may be made in the details as will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. Submarine rescue apparatus comprising, the combination with a submarine hull having an escape hatch, of a pipe adapted to be seated thereover in water tight engagement from the exterior, an elbow on the outer end of said pipe, a. flexible escape conduit attached to said elbow, and externally operated pneumatic means for evacuating water from said pipe, elbow and conduit whereby to permit escape of the submarine crew therethrough.

2. An escape attachment for submarines, comprising a pipe section in the form of an elbow, means for attaching one end thereof over an escape port of a submarine, means CVD el Home for attaching an escape conduit to the other end thereof, and Van externally operable valve for closing said pipe section internally thereof.

3. An escape attachment for submarines, comprising a pipe section in the form of an elbow, means for attaching one end thereof over an escape port of a submarine, means for attaching an escape conduit to the otherend thereof, an externally operable valve for closing said pipe section internally thereof, and an inlet valve in one Wall of said pipe section.

4. In a submarine rescue device, the combination With tivo submarines, of a portable passage chamber, and externally attachable means for connecting said chamber between said submarines, said means including closable pipe sections arranged to remain connected with one submarine after removal of said chamber.

5. In a submarine rescue device, a pipe section adapted for external attachment over an escape port, a valve movable longitudinally therein to close said section, means for operating said valveexternally of said section, and means for disposing said valve clear of the pipe section bore in fully opened position of the valve.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN P. AYER. 

